Wrong Place at the Wrong Time
by ChristyK
Summary: Deaq and an injured Van are trapped in a canyon during a bad storm


Wrong Place at the Wrong Time

Van was not happy. He and Deaq's latest case was going nowhere. They both had the weekend

off and decided to check out a lead on their own time. Unfortunately the lead fell through and now

they had a long drive back through winding canyon roads, plus they were back at square one. And to

make matters worse they were now lost in a torrential downpour. _What next?_ Van thought. He

glanced over at Deaq who had his head back and appeared to be sleeping. _How can he sleep through_

_this?._ The thunder was so loud the car vibrated with each crack and the lightening flashed continuously.

He had no idea where he was and hadn't seen a road sign for miles.

"Why the hell don't they mark anything around here?" He mumbled to himself.

"You lost Van?" Deaq said smiling.

"All these back canyon roads look alike. Where the hell is the turn off back to the highway?"

"All these roads lead back to the highway...........eventually." Deaq said sitting up.

"Oh, that helps." Van said sarcastically.

"You know what your problem is Van? You have no sense of direction."

"Oh, and you do?"

"Yeah, I do. I bet you if I had been driving we wouldn't have gotten lost at all."

As Van turned to look at Deaq. His eyes widened in horror. A pickup truck was speeding toward them

from a crossroad on Deaq's side. Van could tell it wasn't going to stop at the intersection.

"**Lookout!"** Van yelled a warning to Deaq as he slammed on the brakes and turned the wheel hard to

the right spinning the car around. His side took the direct hit. The sounds of tires screeching and metal hitting

metal filled the air. Then there was complete silence.

Later 

An hour later Deaq opened his eyes. At first he had no idea what had happened. He was lying

along side the road in the mud which had absorbed the impact of his body. He was bruised and

sore but he could move. He lay still for a minute trying to remember what had happened. He

remembered his partner yelling a warning to him then feeling the car spinning and the impact on

Van's side.

"**Van!"** He sat up quickly and immediately regretted it. He shook his head trying to clear it.

Their car was nowhere in sight. He noticed that the pickup truck that had hit them was on the

shoulder of the road, beer cans littered the area. The driver's door was open but the driver was gone.

Deaq looked frantically around. The rain was coming down so hard he could hardly see. Finally he

noticed skid marks going off the side of the road into a deep drainage ditch. He ran over and

looked down. His heart started pounding when he noticed the car upside down, half of it in the fast

flowing water which was rapidly filling the ditch. There was no sign of Van. Deaq slid down next

to the car and looked inside, Van wasn't there.

"**Van! Van can you hear me?!"** He screamed into the wind.

_Oh God where is he?!_ He looked up and down the side of the ditch, then downstream. Had

Van been swept away by the fast moving current? He ran to the other side of the car and looked down in

horror. Van was trapped under the car, only his head, left arm, and part of his chest were visible, the water

was swirling around him. _Oh God no!_ Deaq ran over and jumped in the water next to the car. He fought

his way over to his partner then knelt in the water cradling Van's head above the water. Van's eyes were

slightly open, staring at nothing. _ Don't you do this to me partner!_ Deaq patted his face gently.

"Van.........come on partner." He put his fingers on Van's neck and felt a weak, rapid pulse. Then

he leaned down and put his ear next to Van's mouth. He could hear him taking shallow breaths. _Thank_

God He breathed a sigh of relief but knew his partner was far from out of danger. 

"Van.......Van......." Deaq gently called to his partner as he pushed back Van's rain soaked hair.

Van suddenly gasped in a breath of air then looked at Deaq. It took a few minutes till his eyes focused.

"Oh......thank God.........I thought..........you were dead." Van said between gasps for air.

"I got thrown from the car. I'm fine. Don't try to move." He couldn't imagine how Van must have

felt lying there trapped beneath the car thinking his partner was dead and that he was going to die soon also.

He shook the thought from his mind.

"Can't........can't........breathe.........." The pressure from the car was stopping Van from getting

a decent breath of air.

Deaq tried desperately to move the car off of Van's chest but it was impossible. The weight

continued to press down on him. To make matters worse the water in the ditch was slowly rising. Deaq

took off his jacket and shoved it under Van's head to try to keep it above water.

"Van, I got to find help..........I can't move this by myself."

"Deaq..........Deaq.........don't leave.........please.......don't leave."

Deaq could see the fear in his partner's eyes. He grabbed Van's hand.

"I'll be back partner. I've got to get help."

"Deaq..........I don't..........I don't want to ..........die here...........alone."

Deaq's eyes filled with tears. He quickly looked away. He didn't want his partner to know that he

was terrified too. Terrified that if he stayed Van would die in front of him. There was no way

to lift the car by himself, he had to find help. He didn't want to leave his partner but if he didn't

he knew Van would definitely die. Van had saved his life by turning the car so that the impact

was on his side, now he was probably going to die because of it.

"You're not going to die. I not going to let you.............but I can't move the car without

help."

Van winced in pain as the car settled into the mud pushing him deeper into the water. He

coughed weakly. Deaq tried frantically to move the car one more time. It was impossible.

"I gotta get help partner. I'll be back, I promise you."

Deaq started to get up but Van grabbed his arm. The look that passed between them said

more then words could have.

"I promise you I'll be back." Deaq repeated. He knew there would be little if any traffic

on the road during the storm. He had to find help fast, but where? Van was having more and

more difficulty breathing and Deaq knew if he didn't get the car off of him soon he'd die.

"Deaq..........leave me...........your gun."

Deaq knew Van's gun was stuck beneath him in the mud. He also knew what Van was

thinking. If the pain became unbearable Van would rather shoot himself then die a slow painful

death. But he also knew if a car came by Van could use the gun to signal the driver. He took

his gun and put it in Van's hand.

"I'm going to leave this partner but only for you to signal for help. If you need me or if

someone drives by shoot it twice. Deaq put his hand on Van's shoulder and squeezed it. "I'll

be back." _To watch you die_ The thought flashed through his mind and he shut his eyes

briefly to get rid of it. He was not going to watch Van die, he was going to find help, he had

to.

Deaq climbed up the bank then glanced back at Van. The water was already starting to

swirl around his head. _You're going to be fine partner. There's no way I'm letting you_

_die._ He fought the urge to go back to him, there was nothing he could do for him there.

A thought crossed his mind. _The pickup truck _Maybe he could find a jack in it. He knew

even if he did how would he be able to use it in the muddy water? Or maybe he could get

the truck started and rig something up to pull the car off of Van. He ran over to it but the keys

weren't in it. He leaned down under the dashboard and tried to hotwire it. It sputtered a few

times but died. _Damn!! _He slammed his fist down on the dashboard. Deaq ran down the

road to what he hoped was the highway. Nothing. No one would be out on a night like this.

The rain continued its downpour with no let up in sight._ Please God let someone come by_

After a few minutes he knew he had to get back to Van. Tears ran down his face and mingled

with the rain on his face. He was frustrated and scared. Frustrated because he couldn't find any

help and scared because if he went back with out help he knew there was nothing he could do

for Van but watch him die. As he ran back he heard a single gunshot and a cold chill shot

through him. One shot not two. _Oh God no, please no!_ He would never forgive himself

if Van died alone. Van had saved his life by turning the car so his side took the impact, and now

at the end he wasn't even there for him. As he neared the site he saw a tow truck parked near

the pickup truck. _Oh thank God. _ He prayed he wasn't too late.

"**We've got a man trapped in the drainage ditch!"** Deaq shouted as he ran toward the ditch.

The man looked at Deaq but didn't move.

"**Come on!"** Deaq slid down the bank to the ditch and went to Van's side. He had passed

out and his breaths came in short little gasps. So that's why he fired only one shot. Deaq felt a

sense of relief but it didn't last long. His jacket was the only thing keeping Van's head above

water, in a few more minutes Van would drown.

"**Get your chain down here! Hurry!"** He yelled up to the tow truck driver.

The man finally moved and backed the tow truck to the side of the road and lowered the

chain down to Deaq.

"**When I tell you........ reel it in!"** Deaq fastened the chain around the car so it would lift off of

Van**. "Go slow! I'm gonna pull him out when it lifts off of him!"** He knew he could injure his

partner further by moving him but he had no choice. Van's face slowly began to sink below the water.

"**Now!" **Deaq shouted.

The chain slowly tightened. Deaq grabbed Van's shoulders and tried to keep him above the water.

But as the car slowly lifted something yanked Van out of Deaq's arms and pulled him completely

under the water.

"**Hold it! Hold it!"** Deaq dived under the water trying to find out what was trapping Van. He

felt around inside the car and discovered one of Van's legs twisted around the steering wheel. He

knew he didn't have time to be gentle and pulled as hard as he could. The steering wheel finally

popped and he pulled Van to the surface. He drug him up the bank and pulled him onto the road.

"Looks dead to me." The tow truck driver said casually as he walked over.

"**Come on partner breathe!"** Deaq gently pressed on Van's chest. He knew he had to be careful,

he didn't know how badly Van had been injured and he could puncture a lung. He leaned down and

blew two breaths of air into Van's lungs. "Come on buddy, don't do this to me." He looked down at Van

who wasn't moving, a small trickle of blood dripped down the side of his mouth.

"Boy looks like he's busted up inside if you ask me." The driver stood above them not even making

an attempt to help Deaq.

"Do you have a two way radio in your truck?" Deaq asked. He already knew his cell phone

wouldn't work this deep in the canyon.

"Ain't working. Been busted for about two weeks now."

Deaq continued breathing for Van.

"Come on Van. I told ya I'd be back. Now you gotta breathe for me on." He kept

talking in between the breaths. Van finally coughed up water and started to breath on his own, though he

remained unconscious.

"Well I'll be damned! I thought the boy was dead. He a friend of yours?"

"Yeah, that pickup knocked us into the ditch. He's gonna need a doctor."

"Got bad news for ya. The bridge is out down the road and up the other way the road is completely

under water. You ain't going anywhere."

"How did you get here?"

"I live a little ways down the road."

"Then we got to get him to your house, call for help."

"Ain't got no phone. The storm knocked it out."

"Look mister, I got to get him out of this weather. We gotta get him to your house."

"Hey buddy.............I don't run no ambulance service."

"My friend's hurt bad. Ain't got no choice." Deaq was getting angry. Van was hurt bad and this man was

giving him a hard time about helping him.

The driver reluctantly helped Deaq put Van in his truck. Van sat slumped over between Deaq and the

man, his head on Deaq's shoulder. For some reason Deaq was glad the man didn't know they were cops. He

didn't know why but he just didn't trust him. He was glad the man didn't notice Van's gun under his jacket. Due

to the heavy rain it took about a half hour to arrive at the man's house. They carried an unconscious Van into

the house and put him on the sofa. A woman about forty five years old walked into the living room from the

kitchen.

"My God Floyd! What happened?!"

"They got in an accident. Rain washed out the road and I had to bring them here."

"He looks hurt bad."

"He is. He needs to get to the hospital." Deaq said.

"Why don't you call 911?"

"Phones are dead and the roads are washed out." Floyd quickly said.

"I didn't think the phones........."

"I checked them before I left." Floyd interrupted her.

"You poor boys are soaked to the bone. Floyd go see if you can find some clean clothes for them." Floyd

walked away mumbling to himself. She held out her hand to Deaq.

"My name's Rosemary."

He shook her hand.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Deaq and this here's Van."

Deaq began feeling Van's arms and legs to see if he could detect any broken bones. When he got to the

leg that had been caught in the steering wheel he noticed it was badly swollen and when he tried to move it

Van began to moan in pain. Deaq then ripped opened Van's shirt and winced in sympathy when he noticed

a huge bruise on his right side.

"Oh my, the poor boy. He looks hurt real bad. What happened to him?"

"Our car rolled into a ditch and landed on top of him. I'm sure he's got some busted ribs and maybe a

broken leg."

"He really should be in a hospital but since that's impossible you'll have to spend the night here. We only

got two bedrooms, mine and Floyd's, and his son's. Your friend can sleep right here on the sofa, it's nice and

comfortable. I'll get some blankets and pillows. You can fix yourself a place right here on the floor next to him.

It might be sometime before they get the phones working again."

"Thanks for your kindness." Deaq gave her a tired smile.

"I'll go get you something hot to drink." Rosemary headed for the kitchen.

Deaq gently removed Van's jacket. He took Van's gun and hid it under the sofa. He wasn't quite

sure why, but he didn't trust Floyd. He felt like he was hiding something. Floyd came downstairs

carrying two sets of clothes. Together they got Van out of his wet clothes and into dry ones. When

Rosemary returned with the blankets and coffee, Deaq wrapped one of the blankets around Van. He then

put two pillows under Van's head hoping they would help him breathe better, then walked into a back room

to change his own soaked clothes. As he was changing he noticed a gun cabinet filled with rifles and guns.

So Floyd must be a gun nut Deaq thought. When he went back to the living room he watched as Floyd

walked over to his wife and whisper something to her. She put her hand up to her mouth and nodded.

Floyd then left the house and Deaq could hear the tow truck start up. He looked over at Rosemary who

seemed upset.

"Floyd's just going to go check on the road condition. He'll be right back."

"Rosemary, is there something wrong? You seem a little shaken."

"Wrong? Oh no, everything's fine. I'm just a little concerned about the storm. How's your friend

doing?" She said changing the subject.

"I don't know. He hasn't woken up yet but he seems to be breathing a little better. I just need to

keep him quiet, I don't know how bad he's busted up inside."

Rosemary walked over and put her palm on Van's head. She shook her head.

"He's getting warm. I just hope he doesn't come down with a fever. You could be stuck out here

for days. With the roads gone you would have to cross the canyon and it's miles to the nearest house

but more then likely their phones are out too."

Van started moaning and pushed off his blanket. Deaq quickly knelt down beside him.

"Take it easy Van." He said as he replaced the blanket.

"De......Deaq?" Van tried to move.

"I'm here." Deaq put his hand on Van's shoulder. "You got to lay still. We don't know how bad

you're hurt."

"Where............?"

"The roads were washed out. We're at a house a few miles from the accident."

"You...........you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"How...........about ........the other ........driver." Van still was having trouble catching his

breath.

"He took off. Looked like he'd been drinking."

Van's face was etched in pain as he tried to move.

"You got to lay still. Where do you hurt?"

"Better........to ask........where.........I don't hurt." He gave a little laugh but immediately

regretted it as a wave of pain shot through him.

Rosemary walked over and smiled down at him.

"You just take it easy now honey."

"This is Rosemary. Her husband Floyd is the one who found you."

Van nodded at her in greeting, it hurt too much to talk.

"I'm going to get some more blankets. It's get really chilly in the canyon at night." Rosemary

went upstairs.

"Van, I put your gun under the sofa." Deaq whispered. "There's something strange about her

husband but I can't quite figure out what yet. I think it's best if he doesn't see the gun and start

asking questions."

Just then a man of about twenty-seven came down the steps. He had a couple of days worth of

beard on his face and was sloppily dressed. He stank of beer and cigarettes.

"**Who the hell are you?!"** He said looking at Deaq and Van. "And what the hell is he doing

lying on my sofa?" He reached over and grabbed Van's arm and started to pull him up. Van cried

out in pain as his injured ribs protested the rough treatment. Deaq, furious, grabbed the man by the

arm and twisted it behind his back.

"**You touch him again and I'll break it!"** Deaq pushed the man away from his partner. He leaned

down to check on Van.

"Van.........easy Van."

Van lay on the sofa trying to catch his breath, his eyes squeezed tight in obvious pain.

"Breathe slow.............easy now." Deaq said gently. Rosemary had come into the room holding

more blankets.

"Frank!" She yelled at him seeing what he had done.

"**Who the hell are these people?!"**

"They were in a bad accident. That one there is hurt real bad."

"What the hell are they doing here?"

"The roads are washed out. They have to stay here till we can get that boy to a hospital."

"You know you're not suppose to leave anyone in the house!"

"Your Pa brought them home. He had no where else to take them."

Deaq spoke up.

"Listen, we don't want to be here anymore then you want us here, but my friend is hurt bad and we

have no where else to go till this storm blows over." Deaq tried to explain. He didn't want them to be

the source of a family argument.

Frank glared at Deaq then stormed out of the house and headed toward the barn.

"I'm sorry about grabbing your son like that but he was hurting my friend." Deaq said turning to

Rosemary.

"He's Floyd's son from his first marriage. He's no good, never will amount to anything. He deserved

everything he got.............and more." Rosemary handed Deaq the extra blankets.

Deaq covered Van who had fallen into a restless sleep. He then realized how tired he was too.

"I think I'll get a little rest. If you need me for anything be sure and wake me, and thanks for

all you've done." Deaq sat on the floor next to his partner and put his head back on the sofa. He was

exhausted. When he felt himself starting to doze off he lay down in front of the sofa and fell asleep.

Later that night 

Deaq wasn't sure how long he had been sleeping when he heard Floyd's truck pulling into the lane.

Rosemary must have gone to bed because the house was dark except for the porch light. Deaq walked over

to the window and pulled the shade back slightly. Floyd was pulling the pickup truck that had hit

them. Deaq watched as Frank came out of the barn and the two men began to argue. He now understood

why Floyd had acted so strange. His son must have been driving the truck that had hit them and Floyd

had gone down to the accident site to remove it before it was discovered. Deaq then remembered the gun

shot. Van must have fired it when Floyd pulled up, so Floyd had known his partner was trapped in the

ditch but made no attempt to help him. He was just going to let him die, but he had no idea that Van

wasn't alone. He watched as Floyd pulled the pickup truck into the barn with Frank following him.

They were in the barn for about one hour before they finally came out and headed toward the house. Deaq

quickly laid back down on the floor in front of the sofa pretending to be asleep when they came in.

"What are we gonna do about them?" Frank whispered.

"If you wouldn't have run them off the damn road we wouldn't have to worry about them." Floyd

said angrily.

"Well you brought them here! So we better think of someway to get rid of them."

"In the morning I'll take the black one out and get rid of him. I'll tell him the roads are open and

we can go get help but we should leave his friend here until the ambulance gets here. He's hurt too bad

to try and move him. He won't have a clue what we're up to. Then you take care of the hurt one.

Bury him out back in the field somewhere. They'll never find him."

They each grabbed a beer out of the refrigerator and drained it in a few swallows.

"I'll be damned if those two are going to ruin our business." Floyd said as he and Frank headed

upstairs.

Deaq knew he and Van had to get out of there tonight. He reached under the sofa and pulled out

Van's gun. He then went into the back room and removed a gun and bullets from the cabinet. He loaded

the gun then went over to Van and put his hand over his mouth as he gently shook him awake. When

Van was fully awake and his eyes focused on Deaq he removed his hand.

"Something's come up. We got to get out of here tonight. It's gonna be rough on you but we can't

stay here." Deaq whispered as he gently put Van's jacket on him and slipped one of the guns into a pocket.

"You.......you better go.........I .......I don't think........I can make it."

"I'm not leaving you here." Deaq knew Van would be dead before he could get back with help.

"I........I'll hold.......you back. Deaq.......I can't.......I can't breathe....I......I......."

"I'm sorry it's going to be rough, but I'm not leaving you."

Van tried to move but the pain was unbearable. He didn't know why Deaq all of a sudden wanted to

leave, but he knew he'd only hold him up. He had to try and get him to leave without him.

"I......can't make it........partner." Tears of frustration and pain sparkled in Van's eyes.

"You gotta try............. I'm sorry partner this is going to hurt." Deaq gently put Van's arm around his

neck and slowly helped him stand. Beads of sweat formed on Van's face as he tried not to cry out. He

tried to take a step but his leg gave out. Deaq caught him before he could fall.

"Deaq...........I have ........a gun...........I'll cover........for you."

"Van I don't have time to argue with you. Either we both go or we both stay. I'm not leaving you. We

got to get to the barn. I think I can hotwire the tow truck and get us out of here."

Van tried to walk but as soon as he put pressure on his leg it gave out. Deaq finally succeeded in

helping him hobble out to the barn. He then helped him sit on a bale of hay while he went over to the

truck. Van's face was covered in sweat from the pain and exertion of the past few minutes. He felt sick

and fought to stay conscious. Deaq put his gun on the seat of the tow truck and tried the two-way radio.

It worked. He found the emergency station and radioed for help. He described their location the best he

could and the description of the house and barn. The dispatcher said he would send the police and

an ambulance out but they might be delayed because of the weather and road conditions. Hanging up

he then glanced at the wall in front of the tow truck. TV sets, VCRs and stereo equipment ran the entire

length of the wall. He remembered hearing about a robbery spree going on in and around L.A. The

thieves had been breaking into warehouses and tractor trailers. So this was one of the reasons why Floyd

didn't want to bring them back to the house. Deaq didn't care about any of this right now. His only

concern was getting Van to a doctor. He leaned over to try and hotwire the truck. A noise caused him

to glance up.

"Well, what do we have here?" Frank and Floyd entered the barn, Frank was carrying a rifle.

"What are you boys doing? Trying to steal my tow truck?" Floyd asked.

"Just trying to get my friend some help. I thought I could borrow the truck to see if the roads were

clear yet." Deaq said as he inched his hand over toward the gun on the seat beside him.

"**Get out and put your hands up!"** Frank ordered pointing the rifle at Deaq.

His hand was almost on the gun but he knew he couldn't chance it. Not with them standing so close

to Van. He slowly climbed out of the truck, his hands up.

"Turn around." Floyd said.

When Deaq didn't move, Frank pointed the rifle at Van's head.

"You heard my Pa...........turn around or I'll decorate the barn with your friend's brains."

Deaq turned around and Floyd tied his hands behind his back. He could feel his heart pounding.

He was helpless to help either himself or Van. He wondered what these men had in store for them.

Floyd looked over at Van.

"Take that one out back." He nodded toward Van. "Dig the hole real deep. I don't want that old

hound digging him up."

"**No!"** Deaq blurted out. He was horrified to hear how casually they talked about killing his partner.

He glanced at Van, he looked terrible. Floyd grabbed Deaq by the arm.

"We might be able to make some money on this one. Somebody will pay to get him back. But the

other one is not worth the trouble of keeping him alive. Go ahead son, get it over with."

Frank reached over and pulled Van off the hay bale. Unable to stand on his injured leg, he collapsed

on the ground. He yelped in pain as he hit the ground hard. Deaq tried to free himself from Floyd's grasp

and go to his partner but it was impossible.

"**Leave him alone!"** Deaq cried out.

"**Come on!"** Frank yelled as he grabbed Van under the arm and forced him up. Van clenched his teeth,

and squeezed his eyes shut in agony. Frank then forced him over to the barn door.

"My friend is from North Hollywood! His family has money! They will pay anything to get him 

**back!" **Deaq said trying to think of anything that might save Van's life.

"He's already half dead. I don't need no corpse stinking up the place. Frank take him out back and do

him."

"**He won't be no trouble! I'll take care of him!"** Deaq struggled frantically to free himself.

"I give the orders. Besides, they shoot horses when they break a leg. No difference."

"Yeah, I'm just putting him out of his misery." Frank laughed as he pushed Van out of the door.

"Come on boy, let's get this over with."

Deaq could feel his heart pounding in his chest. He once more tried to break free and go to Van.

"Hold it right there boy........you ain't going no where. Some one will pay to get you back."

"Look Floyd, I just want to get my friend to a doctor. I don't give a damn about the accident or

anything that's going on here. I won't tell anyone, I just need to get him some help."

"Oh don't worry about your friend, Frank's helping him right now." Floyd gave a little laugh.

Just then the sound of a gunshot filled the air. Deaq fell to his knees, tears in his eyes.

"Oh God no! Please no!"

"Well it looks like you ain't got to worry about him no more."

"**You son of a bitch!"** Deaq glared at Floyd, then kicked out at him. Floyd stepped back

smiling.

"No need to get all riled up, it's over with." Floyd glanced around the barn. "Now I gotta find

somewhere to keep you. Can't let the wife know what's going on."

"**Hold it right there!" **

They both spun around to look toward the sound of the voice. Van leaned against the door using

both hands to hold the gun steady. He looked about ready to pass out as he pointed the gun at Floyd.

"**Oh thank God!"** Deaq cried out in surprise and relief.

"**Where's my boy?!"** Floyd asked as he slowly lowered his gun.

"Frank had........ himself....... a little accident." Van managed to get out between breaths.

"**Why you..............!"** Floyd raised his gun, pointed it at Van and fired. Van fired

simultaneously. Both men fell to the ground.

"**No!"** Deaq screamed as he crawled over to Floyd and kicked the gun away then crawled to his

partner.

Van sat on the ground his back against a wall, blood dripped down his arm where Floyd's bullet had

grazed him.

"God I thought you were dead!" Deaq said, relieved that it didn't appear Floyd's bullet had done any

serious damage.

"Guess I........fooled you......huh?" Van gave Deaq a weak smile.

"What about Frank?"

"I'm not sure.......I think ......he's dead."

A noise at the door caused them both to look towards it.

"**What the hell is going on?!"** Rosemary stood at the door pointing a rifle at them.

"Your husband and Frank tried to kill Van." Deaq stood up.

"**What?!" **Rosemary looked shocked.

"Your husband and Frank are involved in a robbery ring. We stumbled across it." He nodded toward

the equipment against the front wall. He hoped Rosemary wasn't also involved in the ring. She looked at

it, a stunned look on her face. She then glanced over at Floyd who was slowly starting to stand, his hand

over the wound in his side. She looked back at Deaq and shook her head sadly.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." She leaned the rifle against the wall and began untying Deaq's hands.

Floyd had always kept the barn door locked and told her to stay away from it. Now she understood why.

"**Rosemary give me the rifle!"** Floyd put his hand out toward her. She stood frozen, not knowing what

to do. **"That one shot Frank!"** Floyd pointed toward Van.

Rosemary, afraid of her husband's anger, picked up the rifle and pointed it at Van.

"**He had no choice, Frank was going to shoot him!"** Deaq managed to finish untying his hands then

moved in front of his partner to protect him.

"**Shoot him Rosemary! Shoot both of them!"** Floyd screamed at her. **"If you don't we'll all go to jail!"**

She looked back and forth between Floyd, Deaq and Van. Van could no longer stand the pain, and it took too

much strength to try and sit upright, he slowly started to slide sideways. Deaq went to him immediately and sat

beside him, trying to hold him up. He looked up at Rosemary.

"Rosemary, you got to end this now. My friend can't take anymore."

"**Rosemary, give me that damn rifle!"** Floyd took a few steps toward her.

"No Floyd, this got to end." She said quietly.

"**Give me the gun bitch!"** He screamed at her.

Sirens could be heard getting closer.

"Rosemary........help's coming, listen. My friend needs help, your husband needs help, and Frank, he

might still be alive, he needs help. Please give me the rifle." Deaq pleaded.

"**Don't listen to him! You're my wife..........you do as I say."**

"Rosemary I can tell you're a good women. You don't want to be involved in this."

"Floyd, that boy's going to die if he don't get help soon."

"**Let him die! He killed my son!"**

Van's head slumped sideways onto his partner's shoulder as he passed out. Deaq held him tight.

"Rosemary please, my friend needs help."

"This needs to end Floyd." She lowered the rifle and handed it to Deaq. She then started to walk toward

Floyd.

"**Get away from me woman!"** Floyd angrily pushed her away. She backed against a wall, tears running

down her face.

"Thank you, you did the right thing." Deaq gave her a small smile then turned his attention back

to his partner.

When the sirens grew closer he stepped outside the barn and flagged down the ambulance and police.

He explained what had happened to the police, while a paramedic worked on Van. The paramedic shook his head

as he opened Van's shirt and saw the huge purple bruise.

"This man's is bleeding internally." He looked over at his partner. "John, we need to get an IV going

and get him on oxygen."

"He's going to be alright won't he?" Deaq asked worriedly.

"I can't say. It doesn't look too good though. If only you could have gotten him to a hospital sooner."

"He told me the roads were washed out." Deaq nodded toward Floyd who was being tended to

by another paramedic.

"They were bad, but passable."

Deaq walked over and stood in front of Floyd.

"**You told me the roads were gone you son of a bitch!"** He reached down and grabbed Floyd by

his collar. "If my partner doesn't make it............I'm coming after you!" He said through clenched

teeth.

"Easy, easy." The paramedic pulled Deaq's hand off of Floyd's collar.

One of the officers at the scene entered the barn after having checked on Frank.

"The one outside is dead." He said to his partner.

"**Your friend killed my boy! I hope he dies too!" **Floyd shouted.

Deaq started to go after Floyd again but was held back by one of the officers at the scene.

"Take it easy."

"**He dies, you die!"** Deaq yelled over to Floyd.

"**Okay you two knock it off!"** An officer said as he stepped between them.

Deaq walked back over to Van, Rosemary came up behind him.

"I'm so sorry about your friend. I thought the roads were washed out from what Floyd had said.

Now your friend might die because my husband lied."

"It's not your fault so don't go blaming yourself. My friend's strong, he'll pull through this."

Deaq said praying that was the truth.

The paramedics did their best to stabilize Van then put him on a stretcher and loaded him into the

ambulance.

"How's he doing?" Deaq said as he pushed back Van's sweat soaked hair.

"He's holding his own but.............I don't like the sound of his breathing, he's not getting much

oxygen. That's probably the reason he passed out. I don't want to give you false hope. He could be

pretty busted up inside."

Deaq reached over and gently picked up Van's hand.

"Stay with me partner."

The hospital 

Upon arrival at the hospital Van was immediately rushed into the emergency room. Deaq called

Billie and explained what had happened.

"How is he Deaq?"

"I.......I don't know..........it doesn't look good. They're getting him ready to operate." Deaq sat

on a chair in the waiting room totally exhausted.

"How are you holding up Deaq?"

At first Deaq couldn't speak. His eyes glistened with unshed tears. He tried to pull himself together

before speaking.

"Deaq?"

"Yeah."

"You okay?"

"I'm.....I'm okay." He swallowed the lump in his throat and his voice cracked. "We might lose him

Billie." He wiped angrily as the tears started to run down his face.

"Listen Deaq, you stay strong. I'm on my way."

"You better hurry Billie." Deaq hung up the phone. He couldn't believe the thought of losing his

partner could hurt so bad.

A little while later the emergency room door opened and Van was rushed toward the elevator to go to the

operating room. Deaq got up and ran beside the litter.

"You hang tough buddy. I'll be waiting for you."

Van lay on the litter covered in Ivs and tubes. A large chest tube protruded from his side where they

had inserted it to inflate his collapsed lung. Deaq put his hand on the wall as the litter was pushed into

the elevator, he felt like the room was spinning. One of the doctors stopped briefly and told Deaq what

Van injuries were.

A short time later Billie rushed into the waiting room and ran over to Deaq and put her arms around

him.

"How are you holding up?"

"Okay." Deaq said his voice shaking. "It's this damn waiting."

"Did they tell you how bad he's hurt?"

"Collapsed lung, busted ribs, internal bleeding......who knows what else. **Damn it Billie! They were**

**going to shoot him like a wounded animal!" ** He looked at her with tears in his eyes. "I heard a gunshot

and I thought they had killed him."

"I'm so sorry Deaq......... Van's young and in good shape, he's going to pull through this you'll

see." She once more hugged him. Her own eyes filled with tears.

"I just can't lose him Billie.............I lost Dre and I just can't lose him too."

Later 

The next five-hour wait was agonizing for both of them. Deaq kept walking up and down the hallway

and Billie hoped they would get word soon about Van's condition before Deaq flipped out. Finally the doctor

came out of the OR and walked over to them.

"We'll be sending him down to recovery shortly. We're hopeful. He has three broken ribs, a collapsed

lung, internal bleeding and a broken ankle. His liver was also slightly damaged. As long as infection doesn't set

in we're hoping he'll make a complete recovery. Another hour or so and it would have been a different story.

He'll probably be out for the rest of the day and if you want to go home and get some rest I'll have a

nurse call you when he's awake."

"I need to be with him when he wakes up." Deaq said to the doctor.

"I'm afraid that will be impossible........"

Billie pulled out her badge and showed it to the doctor.

"He really needs to be there for his partner." Normally she would never have told the doctor that they were

cops but under the circumstances she felt it was the right thing to do. Deaq needed to be with Van.

"I'll have one of the nurses set up a cot for him in recovery. I know how tight partners are." He gave

Billie a smile.

Recovery room 

Deaq was shown into the recovery room to wait for his partner while Billie went back to the police

station to check on the status of Floyd. Floyd's wound had been only minor and once treated he was sent to

the station for interrogation. He had almost killed one of her men and she wanted to be there while he was

booked just to be make sure that all the charges that could be filed against him were. Deaq sat on a chair

near what was going to be Van's bed and put his head back. He immediately fell into an exhausted sleep.

Later in the Recovery room 

Deaq had no idea how long he had been asleep but when he woke up Van was in the bed next to him.

His ribs taped, his leg in a cast, and a bandage around his arm where Floyd's bullet had grazed him. An IV

ran out of his arm and an oxygen mask covered his face but he was awake. Deaq jumped off the chair and

stood by his partner's bed.

"Hey partner." Van said weakly as he pulled down his oxygen mask.

"Hey"

"God it feels good to breathe."

"I bet. How ya doing?"

"I've been better." Van gave Deaq a small smile but Deaq could clearly see the pain in his eyes.

"You had me scared partner. For a minute there I thought Frank had killed you."

"You thought maybe you'd be getting that new partner you're always asking for?"

"Yeah, I thought maybe I might be." Deaq smiled down at Van. "But I'm glad I'm keeping my old

one............You know you saved my life with that fancy car maneuver you did. You took the full impact.

I owe you."

"Actually I was hoping your body would cushion the blow." Van laughed a little but immediately

regretted it as his body protested the movement.

"When you're better I owe you a meal. I was thinking Chinese."

"Hey, now wait a minute. I would think your life was a little more valuable then just Chinese. I know

an exclusive little French restaurant on the outskirts of L.A. Maybe Billie would like to join us."

"Don't push your luck buddy." Deaq said as he reached over and put Van's oxygen mask back on his

face.

"Just do me a favor this time." Van pulled back the mask.

"What?"

"This time you drive."

The End


End file.
